Fire danger remains high in Western Massachusetts

Patrick Johnson / The Republican3-23-12 - Pelham - Greg Whittier of Springfield, a firefighter with the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, stares through binoculars at a puff of smoke seen on the horizon to the west as Massachusetts Chief Fire Warden David Celino looks on. The two men were working last week atop an 80-foot tall fire towner on Mount Lincoln in Pelham.
As fire spotters, they spend the day looking for traces of smoke and alerting area fire departments of possible brush fires. The tower opened on last week because of the concerns for an early brush fire season.

SPRINGFIELD – Fire danger remains high today due to strong winds, extremely dry air and a lack of rain in recent weeks.

A red flag warning to be issued by the National Weather Service will be in effect from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. for all of Western Massachusetts. Such a warning means that critical fire conditions are expected and outdoor burning is not recommended.

“The conditions are very dangerous right now, as far as today goes, there is no burning,” said Westfield Deputy Fire Chief Andrew Hart.

Similar conditions on Monday led to rapidly-spreading brush fires at St. Patrick Cemetery in Chicopee and off T Peck Road in Monson.

According to the National Weather Service, relative humidity is as low as 13 percent and northwest winds will blow at 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 25 mph.

CBS3 meteorologist Mike Skurko said temperatures, which sank into the 20s overnight, will moderate a the week progresses with highs in the mid- to upper 50s on the weekend.